Katarzyna Lassak is an outstanding violinist and a graduate of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music (2020), where she studied under the guidance of Professor Janusz Wawrowski. Under his supervision, she successfully defended her doctoral thesis with distinction in 2022. She also honed her artistry under the tutelage of Professor Agata Szymczewska. In 2025, she released the critically acclaimed album Roots and Inspirations through Chopin University Press. The album features the world-premiere recording of Jan Adam Maklakiewicz’s Violin Concerto No. 2 “Góralski”, which Lassak recorded as a soloist alongside the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Warsaw under the baton of Paweł Kapuła. The album pairs this symphonic work with its original folk sources – traditional Podhale “tunes” performed by Lassak as lead violinist alongside her family's highlander ensemble, the Lassak Family Band "Helios" from Zakopane. The recording also incorporates precious archival tracks of her great-grandfather and grandfather. For this groundbreaking project, Katarzyna Lassak was nominated for the prestigious 2026 Fryderyk Award in the category of Phonographic Debut of the Year – Classical Music.
She has performed as a soloist with numerous distinguished symphony orchestras, including the Mieczysław Karłowicz Philharmonic in Szczecin, the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Pomeranian Philharmonic in Bydgoszcz, the Oskar Kolberg Świętokrzyska Philharmonic in Kielce, the Tadeusz Baird Philharmonic in Gorzów, the Wojciech Kilar “Sinfonia Baltica” Polish Philharmonic in Słupsk, and the Polish Radio Orchestra in Warsaw. She also performed alongside the Warsaw Players chamber orchestra, the Tatra Climate Orchestra, and the Atom String Quartet. Over the course of her concert career, she has worked under the baton of acclaimed conductors such as Łukasz Borowicz, Michał Klauza, Paweł Kapuła, Przemysław Fiugajski, Agnieszka Kreiner, Michał Krężlewski, and Norbert Twórczyński.
Lassak uniquely and successfully bridges the worlds of a classical virtuoso and a traditional folk ensemble leader. On the stages of Poland’s major philharmonic halls, she presents a distinctive concert programme featuring three iconic 20th-century violin concertos deeply rooted in highlander lore: Jan Adam Maklakiewicz’s Violin Concerto No. 2 “Góralski”, Grażyna Bacewicz’s Violin Concerto No. 3, and Karol Szymanowski’s Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 61. In these performances, she brilliantly contextualises the classical repertoire by preceding the symphonic works with live, traditional highlander “tunes” – the original sources of inspiration for the composers – performed alongside the Lassak Family’s “Helios” ensemble.
She has performed at prestigious international music festivals, including the “Masters of Polish Violin Artistry” String Festival, “Emanacje”, “Gaude Mater”, “Muzyczne Przestrzenie”, "Ogrody Muzyczne", the Piotr Janowski Festival, and the Wojciech Kilar Festival. She has performed in prominent venues such as the ROMA Musical Theatre, the Karol Szymanowski Museum at the Villa “Atma” in Zakopane, and the Presidential Palace in Warsaw.
Lassak is a prize-winner at numerous competitions; notably, at just 18 years old, she won the acclaimed “Let’s Remember Osiecka” Vocal Competition. Her recent achievements include earning 10 first prizes in national and international competitions, highlighted by the prestigious “Sabałowe Gęśle” Grand Prix for best instrumentalist at the International Mountain Folklore Festival and the “Dziadońcyn Smycek” Honorary Award. A recipient of the scholarship from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, her profound contributions to preserving regional culture were officially celebrated in 2023 when she was awarded the honorary highlander title of Wierchowa Orlica.
